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a) develop detailed equal opportunities
policies Committee Members Convener: Revd Nanette Head Secretary:
Miss Ruth Norton 1 'WE ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST' 1.1 Is everyone welcome in your local church? What a strange question you may say? Think about it. It's not a difficult task for anyone to picture for a moment your Church building. You are familiar with the layout, you've been so many times you know there is a welcome there for you. Hold the image of your building. Can you climb all the steps? Can you hear clearly from every part of the building? Are there wide aisles for wheelchairs and maybe pushchairs? Do young parents feel welcomed? Are all people encouraged to take an active part in the life of the church? Are the young listened to or are decisions made for them? Just think about all the different people who use the building, and those who maybe could use the building if some changes were made. But wait! This isn't an Equal Opportunities issue is it? Or are these questions for Mission?
2 Monitoring church and General Assembly composition: 2.1 As a group, this committee believes that it is relevant for us to think about your buildings and the openness of your church community to change. The Equal Opportunities policy makes it the duty and responsibility of us all not to discriminate on grounds of race, gender, age or disability. In order to do this we need to monitor to establish and encourage the implementation of the policy. 2.2 In 1996 we asked churches for various information and the replies were reported in 1997. Last year these questions were asked again so that we could compare them both with the 1996 information and the information we gleaned from the similar exercise done for members of Assembly in 1999. Unfortunately there is resistance from some people. But how are we to find out whether the Church is working within the lines of the policy? We appreciate that people feel bogged down by questions, but we cannot just assume that the policy is being carried out regarding representation. We hope and pray that it is for we have no intention of proposing quotas, but want to ensure that we really have the best people for the jobs. Details of the responses, compared, where possible with 1996, were available at the 2001 Assembly. Further copies can be obtained from the committee.
3 Monitoring at Synod level 3.1 In 2000 we wrote to all the Synods, asking them what was happening regarding equal opportunities and what help this committee could be. We had swift responses from seven Synods and an acknowledgement from one other from which we gained a picture of Synods actively involved with the policy and tackling the issues of gender, age, disability and race. Some Synods were providing their own training but all would welcome assistance, acknowledging the difficulties and time involved in calling people together to train, whether at Synod or District level. 3.2 The committee is grateful for this positive response and would welcome information from the Synods who have not yet replied. We have also offered to make presentations at Synods and/or District Councils
4 Disability at District Council level 4.1 By now we hope that all churches are aware of the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act. Last year the committee wrote to District Councils suggesting questions which could be asked during pastoral visitations, covering, among other things, access of buildings, facilities for the disabled such as loop systems, large print books, handrails. They were intended to raise people's awareness of the Act. But also of how necessary it is for us to be an inclusive church and not to bar people from worship. If we are to take 'Growing Up' seriously then these are questions we have to ask ourselves. We were again grateful to the Districts who responded, thanking us. In some cases we had validated what they were doing already, in others we had given them useful food for thought and action. 4.2 Useful information can be found in the Property Handbook and in the booklet Circular 1999/4 produced by The Churches Main Committee which is available either from Fielden House, 13 Little College Street, London SW1P 3SH or URC Church House, 86 Tavistock Place, WC1H 9RT. Another useful document which has recently been published is Including Disabled People - Are Your Events Accessible? This can be obtained from CTE, 27 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HH, telephone 020 7529 8141. 4.3 However, we note with concern the shortage of funds available for churches to make an application for grants for alteration and provision of facilities for the disabled due to applications outweighing the money set aside.
5 Racial Justice 5.1 We welcome the appointment of Katalina Tahaafe Williams as the new Secretary for Racial Justice. We are grateful that funds have been made possible for this post and wish her well in this work as we continue to work with her. 6 Unconscious attitudes and assumptions 6.1 We are making progress. However there are still many areas of unspoken attitudes and assumptions, sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously. For example: 'We can't call her to be an Elder - she can't
hear'
7 Equal Opportunities and Mission
7.1 There is no way we can measure attitude to people, but from listening and observing we still have a long way to go. Equal opportunities is about valuing, encouraging and enabling EVERYONE to recognise the gifts God gives and the right to use those gifts. So we continue to encourage the Church to go on hearing and listening for God's word. Stories are reaching us of people released to respond to the call to serve in the life of the Church because they are valued and appreciated. 7.2 The leaflet, originally written for new ministers, has been updated for more general use. Enough copies have been sent to each Synod for every church. 7.3 We still need to know what is happening within Synods and District Councils so that we can share the good and exciting news and help the whole church to be the people of God. 8 At this General Assembly we say thank you to three members of the committee on completion of their term of office. Stella Salmon and Derek Hopkins have been tireless in their support and enthusiasm to promote awareness of equal opportunity issues. We look forward to working with Wilf Bahadur as he becomes our new Convener and we thank Nanette Head for her leadership and inspiration over the last three years.
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